Behind the Scenes of ‘Treasure’ – The Australia Letter

The Australia Letter

The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. This week’s issue is written by Julia Bergin, a reporter based in the Northern Territory.

Behind the Scenes of “Treasure”

During the filming of “Treasure” in Berlin, Lily Brett was moved to tears as she watched her novel come to life on the big screen. Stephen Fry’s portrayal of the character based on her father and Lena Dunham’s depiction of a character inspired by herself resonated deeply with her.

A True Portrayal

The film, based on Ms. Brett’s autobiographical novel “Too Many Men” from 1999, follows the journey of Edek, a Holocaust survivor, and Ruth, his daughter, as they travel to Poland, Edek’s birthplace. Directed by Julia von Heinz, the adaptation stayed true to the essence of the book and the main characters, who were inspired by Ms. Brett’s late father, Max Brett, and herself.

Reflections on the Portrayal

Ms. Brett found herself reflecting on her own experiences while watching the film adaptation. She recalled a scene where Lena Dunham’s character displays quirky behavior at the breakfast table, reminiscent of something Ms. Brett had done in real life. The moment made her question her past actions, such as pulling out multiple containers of dried food, like shriveled carrot sticks, during a customs delay in Vienna.

Traveling Tupperware Tales

The incident at the Vienna airport, where officials mistook her dried carrot slices for something suspicious, led to a humorous yet slightly embarrassing situation that even required intervention from her publishing company to clarify the contents of the containers.